Document feeding apparatus for microfilming machine



NOV. 28, 1967 NORMANDY ET AL DOCUMENT FEEDING APPARATUS FOR MICROFILMING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 12, 1965 I INVENTOR. fiqbefi lf/Varmandly 722220 ggfiald NOV. 28, 1967 NORMANDY ET AL 3,354,777

DOCUMENT FEEDING APPARATUS FOR MICROFILMING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 12, 1965 [XVENTORS W; $994 w ITORNEYS Nov. 28, 1967 R H, NORMANDY ET AL 3,354,777

DOCUMENT FEEDING APPARATUS FOR MICROFILMING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 12, 1965 fill-13.

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DOCUMENT FEEDING APPARATUS FOR MICROFILMING MACHINE Filed Feb. 12, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 \9 w 1 INVENTORS TzmolzyPf Q@erqld MM, AWH" Nov. 28, 1967 R NORMANDY ET AL DOCUMENT FEEDING APPARATUS FOR MICROFILMING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 12, 1965 I NVENTORS 5. 01901 17 Afar mat/2a" 5 are;

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United States Patent 3,354,777 DOCUMENT FEEDING APPARATUS FOR MICROFILMIN G MACHENE Robert H. Normandy, Deerfield, and Timothy P. Fitzgerald, Bensenville, lll., assignors to Bell & Howell Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Feb. 12, 1965, Ser. No. 432,367 24 Claims. (CI. 8824) The present invention relates to improvements in document feeding apparatus for use with and in combination with a machine for photographically recording, as by microfilming, documents as disclosed in the copending application of Daniel D. Call Serial No. 229,540 filed Oct. 10, 1962, now patent No. 3,255,662, issued June 14, 1966, assigned to the same assignee as the present application. That machine is especially adapted for microfilming fan-folded documents such as the continuous forms extensively employed in tabulating machines, and the like, for accounting and bookkeeping purposes. However, insofar as the document transport, scanning and microfilrning features of the machine are concerned, it is capable of microfilming continuous strip form documents other than fan-folded, as well as individual documents.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide new and improved means for handling continuous strip form documents, and more particularly such docu ments comprising a rolled continuous strip, for photographically recording, as by microfilming, in a machine of the character identified.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus which may be readily attached to a machine as identified for selectively converting the machine for photographically recording, as by microfilming, of rolled continuous strip documents.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rolled document handling apparatus for microfilming machines which is highly adaptable to accommodate document rolls of various lengths and core bore diameters, which is simple and easy to load and unload, and is relatively simple and rugged in construction.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved optional or auxiliary attachment apparatus for converting a machine of the character identified for photographically recording, such as microfilming a succession of separate or single sheet documents.

A yet further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved easily attachable and detachable sheet feeding unit constructed and arranged to be mounted selectively in association with the document transport mechanism of a photographic recording such as a microfilming machine.

It is also an object of the invention to provide in a photographic recording such as a microfilming machine, capability of handling various types of documents and thus substantially increasing the range of utility of the machine.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide in a document photographing machine, said as a microfilming machine, new and improved scanning aperture means for smoothly guiding the leading edges of documents through the scaning aperture area.

Other objects,features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of certain preferred embodiments thereof taken in conjunction wit-h the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a document roll handling and feeding apparatus especially constructed and arranged for use with and in combination with a microfilming machine as identified;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the roll handling 3,354,777 Patented Nov, 28, 1967 unit of FIGURE 1 looking toward the left side of the unit as depicted in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an opposite side elevational view of the device of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional detail view through the device of FIGURE 1 and the microfilming machine to which attached, taken substantially on the line IVIV of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional elevational detail view showing a single sheet feed attachment or accessory on the microfilming machine;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged top plan view of the single sheet feed device of FIGURE 5, with certain parts broken away and in section to reveal details of structure;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary sectional elevational detail view taken substantially on the line VIIVII of FIG- URE 6;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional plan view taken substantially on the line VIIIVIII of FIG- URE 5;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a portion of the aperture plate of FIGURES 5 and 8; and

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional detail view taken substantially on the line XX of FIGURE 8.

On reference to FIGURES 1-4, a device 15 for handling and feeding documents in roll form is depicted. It comprises a frame structure of generally wide H-shape configuration when viewed in front elevation provided with respective left and right side parallel spaced coextensive vertical legs 18 and a horizontal cross bar 19 of suitable width rigidly connected to and between the legs. Suitably the frame structure may be fabricated from sheet material such as appropriate gauge sheet metal. Each of the side legs 17 and 18 is of a box-like hollow structure opening toward its side of the frame, and the cross bar 19 is of hollow beam construction and may open rearwardly for access into its interior. This affords a rigid and rugged frame of relatively lightweight, especially where the material from which fabricated is of relatively lightweight such as aluminum.

The legs 17 and 18 provide, in effect, a pair of opposed upwardly extending spaced arms and a pair of opposed downwardly extending spaced arms. Mounted on and be tween such arms are means for supporting and feeding and rewinding a roll R of continuous strip or web document of the type on which tabulating, bookkeeping or accounting records are imprinted in an ofiice machine employing such rolls, generally paper. Filing of such record rolls requires substantial storage space and therefore the content of the rolled document is desirably microfil-med for record purposes enabling storage in very small space. For economy and standardization, each of the rollsupporting means comprises a similar shaft or spindle 20. Each of the spindles 20 supports a pair of opposed concentric complementary flanged hub disks 21. Each of the hub disks 21 has a roll engaging face provided with a plurality of stepped, respectively graduated diameter, concentric, annular roll core engaging shoulders 22 adapted to be received in respective diameters of core bores of different makes or sizes of document paper rolls. To accommodate various lengths of rolls of paper, and thus to accommodate various widths of paper web, the supporting hu-b disks 21 are adjustable longitudinally along the spindle 20 in each instance and for this purpose the disks include an outer face hub 23 carrying a set screw 24 by which the disk is secured fixedly on its spindle after adjustment by longitudinal sliding of the disk on the spindle into the adjusted position. Through this arrangement, mounting or removal of the paper roll R with respect to the spindle 20 is adapted to be effected by inserting the spindle through the core bore of the roll with either or both of the associated supporting disks 21 removed although one of the disks may conveniently remain on the spindle. Then the remaining of the disks 21 is slid into place on the spindle and to engagement wlth its end of the paper roll. The two roll supporting disks are then adapted to be adjusted anywhere desired longitudinally along the spindle 20 to orient the paper web or strip as preferred. As a convenience in setting the roll supporting disk 21 for various lengths of paper roll, the spindle 2th is provided with indicia, suitably comprising annular index marks 25.

Mounting of the spindles 20 interchangeably between either the upper or lower legs of the supporting frame is effected in a manner which avoids the need for any tools but enabling quick mounting or removal of any one of the spindles quickly by simple manual effort. For this purpose, each end of each of the spindles 20 carries quick disconnectable coupling means desirably in the form of an axial boss or head 27 carrying one or more radial interlock lugs 28. On one of the side members of the frame, herein the member 18, each of the arms carries a rotary inwardly projecting journal member 29 affording an inwardly opening socket receptive of an associated one of the mounting heads 27 and having a radial notch or notches 30 in which the associated interlock lug 28 is engageable. Each of the hubs 29 is journalled in a bearing 31 fixedly supported on and within the hollow chamber of the side member 18. Each of the journal members 29 is axially reciprocable as well as rotatable and is normally biased inwardly of the frame by means such as a leaf spring 32 rigidly mounted on the frame adjacent to one end and thrusting toward the engaged end of the associated hub 29. Through this arrangement, mounting or dis'mounting of the associated spindle 20 is readily effected by assembling one end of the spindle with the inner end of the hub 29 and thrusting axially toward the hub 29 to displace it in opposition to its spring bias sufficiently to clear the opposite end coupling head 27 of the spindle with respect to an inner coupling end of a complementally socketed supporting hub 33 journalled in the side member 17 in coaxial alignment with the opposite hub 29. Each of the hubs 33 has an interlock lug receiving notch 34. Thus, in mounting the spindle 26 it is thrust endwise into the socket of the hub 29 and such hub displaced until registration of the opposite end interlock head of the spindle is effected with respect to the socket in the associated hub 33, and upon release of the counter-biasing mounting thrust, the spindle is urged into retaining engagement with the hub 33 by the biasing spring 32. Removal of the spindle is effected by reverse manual maneuver.

Means are provided within the side member 17 for effecting a pay-out drag on one of the hubs 33 and a take-up drive on the other of such hubs. Accordingly, both of the hubs 33 are rotatably mounted on respective bearing structures 35 fixedly attached to the side member 17 within the chamber defined thereby. Each of the hubs has an end portion exposed within the side member chamber.

Herein, the upper of the spindle supporting hubs 33 is equipped with pay-out drag means, herein comprising a leaf spring member 37 which has an upper end portion bearing against the opposing end of the hub 33 and a lower end portion thrusting against the opposing inner wall of the side member 17 with an intermediate portion of the leaf spring normally spaced from such wall. For adjusting the drag pressure of the spring 37 an adjustable tensioning device is provided comprising a tensioning plate nut 38 engaging the face of the spring opposite the opposed frame wall andthreadedly engaged upon a tightening screw 39 extending through the frame leg wall and provided with a digitally engageable head 40 by which the'tightening screw is manipulated to provide the desired drag tension on the spring 37.

Driving of the lower one of the hubs 33 is effected by means such as an electric motor41 which is desirably- 42 mounted on the side member 17 within the chamber afforded by the hollow cross beam 19, being carried by a mounting plate 42. Vertical adjustment of the motor 41 is enabled by securing the mounting plate 42 by means of screws 43 which extend through respective vertical adjust ment slots 44. A drive shaft 45 extends through a vertical clearance slot 47 and carries fixedly thereon a small diameter drive wheel 48 in the form of a pulley connected in a speed reduction arrangement including a first flexible driving member comprising a belt 49 trained over a larger diameter pulley 50 having its shaft journalled on a vertically adjustable mounting plate 51 and having a fixed coaxial small speed reducing driving pulley 52 over which is trained a drive belt 53 drivingly engaged on a pulley 54 which is rotatably mounted on a stub shaft 55 projecting into the end member chamber from the lowermost of the mounting hubs 33. Friction slip clutch means connect the shaft 55 with the transmission pulley 54 and herein comprise a star spring 57 concentric with the shaft 55 and having its ars resiliently thrusting against the outer face of the pulley 54, with a spring tensioning member 53 mounted fixedly on the stub shaft 53 in thrusting engagement against the clutch star spring. Desirably the thrust member 58 comprises a knurled head or knob which is manually engageable for turning the shaft 55 and there by the associated hub 33 and the interconnected spindle 29 for initial take-up winding of the spindle when setting up for operation or to effect take-up adjustment of the spindle and a roll take-up core supported thereby.

Electrical operation and control of the motor 41 is conveniently effected by supplying it with a source of electrical energy through an electrical circuit including a cord 59 carrying a plug 69 by which it is adapted to be connected to a suitable electrical source outlet. Control of the electrical circuit is through a suitable switch including an actuator comprising a lever 61 which may be suitably mounted on the upper side of the cross beam 19. Through this arrangement, the unit 15 is provided with a selfcontained actuating drive under the control of the switch lever 61.

Desirably, the open sides of the side frame members 17 and 18 are closed as by means of respective removable panels (not shown )adapted to be attached to suitable mounting brackets 17a and 13a.

Means are provided for removably mounting the unit 15 operatively in association with and on a microfilming machine 62 disclosed in the aforesaid application Serial No. 229,540. The disclosure of that application to the ex-' tent necessary for a full understanding of the instant disclosure, and to incorporate details there described but herein omitted in the interests of diminution of the instant disclosure, is included herein by reference. Suitable supporting framework and a cabinet housing 63 are provided for the machine. Within the upper front portion of the cabinet is a microfilm camera chamber 64, rearwardly from which is optical means adapted to direct to the camera a suitably reduced image of a document illuminated by lamps 65 as it passes an exposure aperture 67 over the rear portion of a front-to-rear document transport assembly including a set of upper driven rollers 68 and a set of matching idler rollers 69. Means for driving the camera and the rollers 68 include a driving motor 70.

While the driven transport rollers 68 are mounted onfixed axes in the cabinet and have a document guide plate- 71 associated therewith, the idler rollers 69 are carried by a break-away plate structure 72 which is hingedly mounted as at 73. A latch 74 normally maintains the break-away plate or roller carriage '72 in its operative position as shown in FIGURE 4 and by releasing the latch the breakaway carriage can drop down to facilitate inserting a document into position between the transport rollers. On its front margin, the break-away carriage plate 72 has a curved lead-in flange 75, while at its rear margin the plate has a lead-off rearwardly and downwardly curved flange 77 cooperating-with a deflector 78 by which a document is guided downwardly through a space below the document transport and which space is divided by a horizontal supporting panel 79 having side flanges 80 by which it is secured fixedly to front-to-rear inner vertical liner panels 81 of the cabinet housing. At its rear margin the supporting panel 79 has an upstanding guide flange 82 generally aligned with the lower edge of the downturned guide flange 77 of the transport roller plate.

Above and below the supporting panel 79, the cabinet opens forwardly, and each of the side liner panels 81 has along each side of the opening a narrow vertical front flange portion 83 inset relative to front corner frame bars 84 of the cabinet 63. Within the vertical rabbet grooves thus provided, the document roll handling unit is adapted to be mounted and for this purpose is of a matching or complementary width so that the side members 17 and 18 will seat conveniently in the vertical grooves. Removable support of the unit 15 in vertical position wherein the upper of the roll-supporting spindle assemblies is adjacently below the document transport mechanism of the machine is conveniently effected by means of downwardly projecting anchoring studs 85 carried by a rearward flange extension 87 on the upper wall defining the cross beam 19 and adapted to overlap the front margin of the supporting panel 79 which is flush with the inset seating panels 83 and is provided with a downwardly and inwardly turned reinforcing and finishing flange 88. Desirably, there are two of the studs 85, one located adjacent to each of the side members 17 and 18, and the front margin of the supporting plate 79 has corresponding socket holes 89 within which the attachment studs are engaged by downward sliding movement of the unit 15 with the studs in registering alignment with the socket holes. Thereby, the upper, pay-oif spindle 20 is located adjacent to the document transport and the lower take-up spindle 20 is located below the supporting panel 79.

When a document roll to be microfilmed is newly mounted on the upper pay-out spindle 20, the idler roll carriage 72 is desirably released to a generally pendant position and the leading end of the web manually fed from the roll past the inner end of the carriage and then brought downwardly past the guide flange 82 and then forwardly and started onto the take-up spindle 20 which is facilitated by manual turning of the take-up spindle as by manipulating the knob 58. After the web has been thus threaded, and the break-away carriage 72 has been returned and latched in its operative transport position, the machine and the device 15 may be activated. If the device 15 is started ahead of the machine, the slip clutch drive will spin while the web is held by the transport rollers 68 and 69. Should the machine be started ahead of the device 15, the web will gather in the lower portion of the cabinet until the take-up spindle is actuated. De'sirably a slight overrun differential speed in the take-up spindle is afforded to take-up any slack in the web passing from the document transport of the machine. Desirable tension on the web at the pay-out spindle 20 is readily regulated by manipulation of the adjustment knob 40. As the document web strip travels continuously through the document transport system of the machine, the upwardly facing surface of the document is continuously microfilmed by the flow camera in the housing 64 and synchronized in operation with the document transport mechanism.

Where, instead of continuous web documents, single sheet documents are to be microfilmed, the machine 62 is equipped with a sheet feed apparatus 90, desirably comprising a self-contained unit constructed and arranged to be quick-detachably asembled with the front of the machine in feeding alignment with the mouth or lead-in into the front of the document transport mechanism, as shown in FIGURE 5. This unit comprises a supporting frame including side plates or panels 91 and a plurality of rigid, suitably located, transverse frame bars 92 to the respective ends of which the side frame panels 91 are attached.

In order to feed sheets S (FIG. 7) with at least partial gravity assist, a sheet-supporting platform 93 provides part of the unit frame and is secured between the side panels 91 to slope downwardly and rearwardly as shown in FIGURES 5 and 7. To support a stack of document sheets of any width within a substantial range in desirably centered alignment on the platform 93, a spaced, opposed pair of adjustable alignment bars or flanges 94 is provided, mounted slidably on the platform for transverse slidable adjustment through the medium of guide studs 95 projecting downwardly from the flanges through transverse aligned slots 97 in the platform 93 and having friction Washer means 98 thereon pressing against the bottom of the platform and retaining the flanges resiliently in position to which adjusted for guiding sheets from a stack deposited therebetween in a desirably centered relation with respect to sheet feeding means toward which the leading edges of the sheets are directed in the rear portion of the unit.

Immediately forwardly from the sheet guiding flanges 94 means are provided for drawing the document sheets S successively from the top of the stack. Such means herein comprise a frictional draw-in belt 99 trained over an idler pulley 100 carried by a stub shaft 101 (FIG. 6) mounted on a rocker arm 102 relatively pivotally mounted on a shaft 103 carried by a bracket 1.04 mounted on the adjacent one of the frame bars 92. Fixed corotatively on the shaft 103 in alignment with the pull-in belt 99 is a feed roller 105 affording an intermediate hub over which the belt is drivingly trained, whereby through the shaft 103 the pull-in belt 99 and the feed roller 105 are adapted to be driven in the in-feeding direction. Desirably, a combination feed throat and cover plate 107, attached to the adjacent frame bar 92 provides a feed throat converging toward the draw-in belt 99 and the feed roller 105 and having another portion overlying the draw-in belt and feed roller protectively.

Since there is planetary torque in the operation of the pull-in belt 99 tending to thrust the belt toward the platform plate 93, an underlying anti-friction roller 108 is desirably mounted to project peripherally slightly above the platform plate, as best seen in FIGURES 5 and 7, directly under the draw-in nip of the belt. This not only facilitates pulling in of the successive document sheets, but also provides an anti-friction backing for the belt in the absence of any sheet.

To prevent all but one document at a time from passing through the feed roller assembly, a reversing roller 109 is mounted in alignment under the feed roller 105 to project upwardly peripherally through a clearance opening 110 to cooperate with the feed roller v105. Both of the rollers 105 and 109 are formed from a peripherally high friction material, but the feed roller 105 is of a higher coefficient of friction than the reversing roller 109 so that a single document engaged between the rollers will be positively advanced while a second document is prevented by the roller 109 from advancing until the trailing edge of the superposed document leaves the nip of the rolls and the pull-in belt 99 thrusts the next succeeding document, which has been held back by the roller 109, into the nip of the rollers for onward feeding.

Mounting of the reversing roller 109 preferably such that if, for any reason, it is desired to defeat the same, it can be shifted away from the feed roller 105. Therefore, the roller 109 is mounted on the rear portion of a supporting frame comprising complementary left and right side arms 111 intermediately pivotally mounted on a shaft 112 carried by a supporting block 113 mounted on the adjacent frame bar 92. At their rear end portions, the arms 111 support a rotary shaft 114 on which the roller 109 is corotatively mounted. Control of the arms 111 is through a medially longitudinally intermediate lever arm 115 journalled at its rear end portion upon the shaft 112 and normally biased by means of springs 117 against the bracket block 113. Adjacent to its forward or outer end, the lever 115 pivotally supports a pair of aligned oppositely extending outrigger-like bell crank levers 118 which are adapted to underlie and support the outer end portions of the arms 111 biased thereagainst by torsion springs 119. Each of the levers 118 is engaged with a nut 128 which is engaged on a threaded stub 121 of a respective adjustment wheel 122 pivotally mounted on the outer end portion of the lever plate 115. Through this arrangement, lifting of the outer end portion of the lever plate 115 by engagement of the outer end portion thereof or the wheels 122 through an access opening 123 in a front guard and closure plate 124' on the unit 90 effects corresponding downward swinging of the reversing roller 109. Further, adjustment of the reversingroller 109 for optimum cooperation with the feed roller 105 for any predetermined thickness of documents to be fed and also to afford square feeding of the rollers is adapted to-be accomplished by appropriate rotary manipulation of both of the wheels 122 for thickness adjustment and individual adjustment of the wheels as necessary to attain square feeding.

Beyond the feed roller 105, the document S being fed is guided onward by a guiding inner end portion guiding extension of the platform plate 93 which turns to a generally horizontal position and affords with a narrowly spaced overlying rearward extension of the guide plate 107- a generally funnel passage leading reaivvardly past an upper driven feed roller 123 and a lower resiliently upwardly biased idler roller 124 so disposed that as the fed document is advancedfrom the feed roller 1415 which engages only a limited central longitudinal area of the document, the document is promptly gripped over substantially its entire width betweenthe rollers 123 and 124 and positively advanced from the rear end portion of the feed unit.

Means are provided for mounting the feed unit 90in proper position in front of the document transport assembly of the microfilming machine 62 for substantially accurate'alignme'nt of the discharge end of the guide funnel withinthe entry mouth defined by the guide plate 71 and'the guide flange 75 and adjacent to the outermost of the' opposed transport rollers 68 and 69, as best seen in FIGURE 5. For this purpose, a pair of coextensive, substantially similar left and right side latch-on members 125 are provided on the rear end portions of the side frame plates 91. Desirably, the latch-on members 125 comprise suitably dimensioned plates serving the dual function of housingsmounted on the outer sides of the frame plates 91 as by means of spacer blocks 127 to afford an overall outside spaced apart relationship of the attachment or latching plates 125 to fit closely but freely within the forward margins of respective opposite vertically extending front-to-rear frame member plates 128 which form part of the supporting structure for the document transport assembly as well as other associated components of the microfilming machine 62. At their rear end portions, the latching plates 125 project beyond the adjacent ends of the frame plates 91 and are each provided with vertically spaced rearwardly opening bayonet slots 129 within which'are received inwardly projecting respective fixed supporting studs 139 rigid with the supporting or mechanism frame plates 128. Through this arrangement, mounting of the feeder unit 91 is adapted to be easily effected by lifting it into position, by projecting the rear end portions of the attachment plates 125 through respective clearance slots afforded in the front portion of the guide plate 71 and into position alongside the inverted tray-like break-away transport plate 72 until the bayonet slots 129 are in registration with the studs 130 whereupon a rearward and downward movement engages the downwardly opening hook-like formations defining the upper ends of the bayonet slots latchingly over the studs. The weight of the feeder unit 90 then firmly maintains it in the mounted operative, aligned relation in front of the document transport mechanism Synchronized driving of the feeder unit mechanism with the document transport rollers 68 and 69 is effected automatically upon mounting of the feeder unit 90 on the machine 62. To this end, one of the attachment and housing plates 125, herein the one located at the right side of the unit has rotatably mounted on the upper portion of its rear margin within the housing defined thereby a power transmission pinion 132 which desirably has its toothed perimeter closely adjacent to and preferably projecitng slightly beyond the adjacent rear edge of the plate so as to mesh with a driving pinion 133 carried by the shaft of the adjacent driven transport roller 68 (FIG- URE 6) which derives its power from the drive motor 78 in the manner fully described in application Ser. No. 229,540.

Driving power transmitted through the transmission pinion 132 drives a pinion 134 meshing therwith and corotative on a shaft 135 journalled on the inner end portions of the frame plates 91 and mounting the feed roller 123. At its opposite end, the shaft 135 carries a driving pinion 137 within the housing afforded 'by the latching and housing plate 125 and this pinion drives a cluster of gears including a driving gear 138 on the feed roller shaft 103. The gear 138, in turn, drives the reversing roller 109 through a meshing driven gear 139 on a shaft 148 which is journalled through the adjacent frame side plate 91 and a supporting bracket 140a mounted on the adjacent frame bar 92. An inner end portion of the shaft 140 is coupled by a flexible coupling 141 to the adjacent end portion of the reversing roller shaft 1114, thereby enabling adjustments of the reversing roller transversely to the fixed axis of the shaft 140.

As the successive document sheets S fed from the magazine afforded by the feeder 90 are transported by the rollers 68 and 69 to the exposure aperture area 67, they successively trip serially arranged camera synchronizing control switches 142 (FIGURE 5). After each of the document sheets has been photographed it passes down the chute defined by the flanges 77 and 78 toward the supporting plate 79 which affords a receiving tray for the photographed documents. In order to deflect the plate 143 cooperative with a downturned gripping flange 145 to engage the upper margin of the flange 82 in frictional slide-on, slide-off relation.

In order to avoid any problem of deflection upwardly into the exposure aperturearea 67 of the successive leading edges of the document sheets S as transported at fairly high speed through the exposure and scanning.

zone, a safety exposure aperture plate structure 147 (FIG- URES 4, 5 and 8) is provided. This may, if desired, comprise a separate added or supplemental piece mounted in or over the open exposure aperture of an existing machine in order to adapt it for sheet processing, but is preferably constructed as an original integral part of the guide plate-71 so that the machine may be used alternately for continuous web microfihning or sheet microfilming without regard to the exposure aperture.

Full exposure of the entire width of the document passing the exposure aperture 67 is effected through the aperture plate structure or section 147, bythe provision of a plurality, in this instance two, transversely extending closely adjacent, relatively staggered rows of individual exposure apertures 148 and 149. In bothof the series, the apertures are slightly longer than the space between adjacent apertures in that row. As a result, as best seen in FIGURE 9, the edges defining the adjacent ends of the apertures 148 and 149 are relatively offset as indicated by the graphic line 158 and the arrows 151, whereby the aperture areas are in overlapping relation in the direction of transport movement of the documents through the exposure zone. All of the apertures in the parallel rows are as close together as practicable'while affording a narrow 'but structurally adequate integral connecting portion or area 152 between the relatively overlapping aperture area ends. Thereby, while the aperture plate structure 147 is of adequate strength to be self-sustaining and free from any objectionable warpage, it provides for adequate exposure and scanning of theentire document flowing under the aperture plate. Further, longitudinal streaking is avoided by not only assuring that all portions of the area are exposed through the successive rows of end overlapping exposure apertures, but also by avoiding overexposure in the overlapping areas by maintaining such areas to the barest minimum.

To avoid any possible catching of paper edges on the downstream edges defining the apertures 148 and 149, such aperture defining edges are provided with respective chamfers 153 as best seen in FIGURE 10, but also indicated in FIGURES 8 and 9. From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that the present invention affords great versatility in a microfilming machine since the machine is adapted for alternatively and selectively handling continuous web doouments, whether fan-folded or in rolls, or sheet forms of documents of various sizes. Conversion of the basic machine initially devised for expeditiously handling fan folded documents to be microfilmed, is readily effected by quick attachment of the proper conversion unit, and without requiring any alteration, readjustment or dismantling of the basic machine. Each of the roll document attachments 15 and the sheet feeding attachment 90 is constructed as a conveniently manipulated, self-contained unit which anyone may mount in its operative position on the machine without exercise of any mechanical aptitude \and by following the simplest sort of instructions. This ready convertability of the machine enables microfilming of a full range of business machine documents, and more particularly those produced by accounting and record keeping machines, in the one microfilming machine and without requiring a multiplicity of microfilming machines or units for the purpose;

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a machine for photographically recording, as by microfilming either continuous web or sheet form of documents and including a document transport assembly and a document exposure aperture structure associated with said transport assembly for the exposure and scanning of documents carried by the transport assembly forcontinuous fiow photographing of the documents, said machine having a frame structure,

a continuous web supporting unit,

a sheet magazine and feeding unit,

each of said units having means for attaching it to said machine frame structure,

and means carried by said machine frame structure and releasably engageable by said attaching means for mounting of the units in position on the machine to supply continuous documents from said web feeding unit and from said sheet magazine and feeding unit to said transport assembly for transport thereby. 2. In a machine for photographically recording, as by microfilmin'g, either continuous web or sheet form of documents and including a document transport assembly and a document exposure aperture structure associated with said transport assembly for the exposure and scanning of documents carriedby thetransport assembly for continuous flow photographing of the documents,

' said machine having a frame structure,

a continuous web supporting unit,

asheet magazine and feeding unit,

each of said units having means for attaching it to said machine frame structure,

" Ineans carried by said machine frame structure and releasably engageable by said attaching means for r'nounting of the units in position on the machineto supply continuous documents from said web supporting unit and sheets from said sheet magazine and feeding unit to said transport assembly for transport thereby,

5 and an exposure aperture plate structure in said exposure aperture over the path of movement of documents through the transport assembly and having overlappingly staggered exposure apertures affording full exposure of documents transported thereby but preventing leading edge deflection of documents into the exposure aperture.

3. In a document photographing machine including a document transport assembly and document exposure and scanning aperture means associated with said transport assembly,

and means for alternatively feeding continuous web documents and a succession of single sheet documents to said sheet transport assembly.

4. In an upright photographing machine having in the upper portion thereof photographing means including a horizontal front-to-rear document transport with an overhead exposure aperture structure adjacent the rear of the transport and a front entry into the transport and a rear discharge from the transport,

continuous web document supply means,

sheet document supply means,

and means on the front of the machine to support said supply means in position for respectively supplying continuous web documents and sheets into the entry of the transport for photographing.

5. In a photographing machine,

an upright forwardly opening cabinet having in the upper portion thereof photographing means and a generally horizontal front-to-rear document transport with exposure aperture means adjacent to the rear of the transport and downward discharge from the transport,

continuous rolled web document supply means,

sheet document magazine and feeding means,

and means located along the front of the cabinet to support said means in position to supply respectively continuous web and sheets to said transport for photographing.

6. In a photographing machine,

an upright forwardly opening cabinet having in the upper portion thereof photographing means and a generally horizontal front-to-rear document transport with exposure aperture means adjacent to the rear of .the transport and downward discharge from the transport,

continuous rolled web document supply means,

sheet document magazine and feeding means,

means on the front of said cabinet adjacently below said transport to support said rolled document supply means in position to supply continuous web from a roll into said transport for photographing,

and means on said cabinet adjacent to the front of said transport to support the sheet supply means in position to supply sheet documents to the transport for photographing.

7. A photographing machine including an upright cabinet having therein photographing means including a document transporting assembly,

a rolled document supporting assembly carried by said cabinet including a removable supply roll spindle structure and a take-up spindle structure by which a web document is adapted to be rolled from the supply spindle structure through the transport assembly and then rewound on the take-up spindle structure, means for driving said take-up spindle structure,

and leaf spring means for applying selective drag to said supply spindle structure.

8. In a photographing machine of the character described including an upright cabinet having an open front 75 and a document transport assembly in the upper portion l 1 thereof running inwardly and associated with document photographing means,

a generally H-shaped supporting frame,

means detachably securing said frame onto the front of the cabinet in generally vertical position, with a transverse beam on the frame extending horizontally and respective opposite side vertical legs on the ends of the beam engaging the front of the cabinet,

a polled document supply spindle,

means detachably supporting the supply spindle on and between the upper portions of said side legs above said beam for supplying a web document from the supply spindle into said transport assembly,

a take-up reel,

means for supporting the take-up reel detachably on and between the lower portions of said side legs elow said beam for receiving and winding up the document web after it leaves said transport assembly,

and means carried by said H-frame for driving said take-up spindle.

9. In a self-contained rolled web document handling unit having means for removably mounting it on a cabinet in which the web document is transported in a given path,

a substantially H-shaped frame comprising a horizontal beam and spaced vertical side arms extending above and below said beam coextensively,

a detachable roll carrying spindle between the opposed portions of said arms above and another detachable roll carrying spindle between the opposed portions of said arms below the beam,

and means for driving one of said spindles.

10, In a rolled web document handling unit adapted to be removably mounted as a unit with respect to a document photographing machine of the character described,

a substantially H-shaped frame comprising a horizontal beam and spaced vertical side arms extending above and below said beam coextensively,

a respective detachable roll carrying spindle between each of the opposed portions of said arms above and below the beam,

means for driving one of said spindles,

and means for applying selective drag to the other of said spindles.

11. In combination in a roll web handling unit adapted for attachment to a microfilming machine,

a supporting frame,

means for attaching the frame to a microfilm machine,

a supply roll spindle carried by the frame,

a take-up spindle carried by the frame,

an electrical motor carried by the frame,

a driving transmission from the electrical motor to the take-up spindle,

and a control switch on the frame for controlling operation of said motor.

12. A roll document supporting unit for use with a machine of the character described and comprising a supporting frame,

a document roll supporting shaft spindle,

opposite ends of the spindle having attachment heads,

socketed supporting hubs on said frame for receiving said heads,

corotational interlock means on said heads and on said socketed hubs,

at least one of said hubs being spring biased toward the spindle and being displaceable by manual pressure applied thereto through the spindle for assembling and removing the spindle with respect to said hubs.

13. A machine including a cabinet having photographring means therein and a document transport assembly extending in a front-to-rear direction in the machine,

a sheet magazine and feeding unit, and means for mounting the unit .in alignment with the front of the transport assembly including spaced respective latch plate members on opposite sides of the unit and each having spaced bayonet slots, and fixed complementary lugs on the cabinet detachably engageable within said bayonet slots of the latch plate members.

14. A machine of the character described including a horizontal document transport assembly having an entry and a discharge,

a sheet magazine and feeding unit including means for feeding successive sheets from a stack supportedby the unit into said transport assembly,

means for driving said transport assembly,

means detachably mounting the unit in alignment with said transport assembly,

and means affording a driving connection between said transport assembly and said sheet feeding means of said unit including an automatic driving coupling operative incident to mounting of the unit in place on the machine and automatically disconnecti-ble incident to removal of the unit from the machine. 15. A sheet magazine and feeding unit comprising a frame structure,

adjustable sheet supporting magazine means carried by said frame structure,

single sheet feeding means carried by said frame structure in alignment with said magazine structure,

means for driving the sheet feeding means,

means for movably attaching the unit in operative position in alignment with a sheet transport of a photographing machine,

and a driving coupling carried by the unit for driving coaction with a complementary coupling on the ma chine.

16. In a machine of the character described including a document transport assembly having a rotary shaft,

frame including means for detachably assembling the unit in alignment with a document transport of a machine of the character described,

sheet stack magazine means,

sheet pull-in means mounted in alignment with the magazine means,

a feed roller immediately succeeding the pull-in means,

a reversing roller coacting with the feeding roller to permit only one sheet at a time to pass there'between, a feed roller assembly immediately succeeding said feeding and reversing rollers,

driving means for said pull-in means and the feeding roller and the reversing roller coupled with said feed roller assembly,

and means providing a disconnectible-driving coupling between said feed roller assembly and driving means. on a machine with which the unit is operatively as sembled. v

18. In a microfilming machine including means [for supplying documents to be mierofilmed,

microfilming means including means defining an exposure aperture area,

a document transport assembly arranged to transport the documents to be microfilmed in a plane through said exposure area,

a d me ns 501" guiding the documents through said ex posure area including a plate overlying and holding the documents substantially against deflection from said plane and including a plurality of transversely located series of spaced apart apertures with the apertures of the respective series staggered with respect to the other series of apertures and with the end portions of the apertures in overlapping relation considered with respect to the direction of movement of the documents,

whereby full exposure of the documents moving through the exposure area is attained but the documents are held substantially in said plane and leading edges of the documents are prevented from deflection out of such plane.

19. A photographing machine including an upright cabinet having a front wall with an opening therein affording access to an upper photographing and document transporting assembly operative to transport a document from the front of the cabinet rearwardly and then downwardly, and the front wall having a lower discharge opening below said transporting assembly:

a continuous web document supply device comprising a removable unit having means mounting it on said front wall of the cabinet;

an upper supply roll support on said unit located adjacent to said upper opening and positioned for paying out a rolled document web therefrom to travel through said upper opening to and through said document transporting assembly and then rearwardly and downwardly toward said lower discharge openand lower take-up means on said unit adjacent to said lower opening for receiving and rewinding the document web through said lower opening.

20. A machine as defined in claim 19, including means within the cabinet for guiding the document web smoothly from the transporting assembly to said take-up means.

21. A machine as defined in claim 20, in which said unit has self-contained means for driving said take-up means.

22. A self-contained unit for handling a continuous web for feeding through a machine of the character described:

a generally box frame including a horizontal body beam and vertical side arms on said beam each extending above and below said beam coextensively;

a spindle shaft and means on the upper portions of said arms for supporting said spindle shaft rotatably and in readily detachable relation to facilitate mounting of a web roll thereon;

a second spindle shaft and means on the lower portions of said arms for rotatably detachably supporting said second spindle shaft between said lower portions;

and means carried within one of said arms and said beam for rotatably driving the rotatable mounting means for one of said spindle shafts.

23. A self-contained unit for handling a continuous web for feeding through a machine of the character described:

21 generally box frame including a horizontal body beam and vertical side arms on said beam each extending above and below said beam coextensively;

a spindle shaft and means on the upper portions of said arms for supporting said spindle shaft rotatably and in readily detachable relation to facilitate mounting of a web roll thereon; a second spindle shaft and means on the lower portions of said arms for rotatably detachably supporting said second spindle shaft between said lower portions;

and means on said beam for removably attaching the unit to the machine.

24. In a roll web handling device of the character described:

a supporting frame;

a roll supporting shaft spindle;

bearings rotatably mounting the opposed ends of said spindle on the frame;

a pair of adjustable hubs slidably longitudinally adjustable on said spindle and having means thereon for supporting hollow rolls of different core bore diameter;

means on the spindle for gaging adjustment of the hubs for different lengths of roll;

and means on the hubs for securing them releasably in respective positions of adjustment on the spindle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD A. WINTERCORN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A MACHINE FOR PHOTOGRAPHICALLY RECORDING, AS BY MCIROFILMING EITHER CONTINUOUS WEB OR SHEET FORM OF DOCUMENTS AND INCLUDIG A DOCUMENT TRANSPORT ASSEMBLY AND A DOCUMENT EXPOSURE APERTURE STRUCTURE ASSOCIATED WITH SAID TRANSPORT ASSEMBLY FOR THE EXPOSURE AND SCANNING OF DOCUMENTS CARRIED BY THE TRANSPORT ASSEMBLY FOR CONTINUOUS FLOW PHOTOGRAPHING OF THE DOCUMENTS, SAID MACHINE HAVING A FRAME STRUCTURE, A CONTINUOUS WEB SUPPORTING UNIT, A SHEET MAGAZINE AND FEEDING UNIT, EACH OF SAID UNITS HAVING MEANS FOR ATTACHING IT TO SAID MACHINE FRAME STRUCTURE, 